Tuesday, December 15, 2009

A Supah-Dupah Chuppah!

Although it's cold and dreary outside, I need to start brainstorming pretty, summer inspirations for our Chuppah.  In case you aren't familiar with the term, a Chuppah is a canopy that Jewish couples are traditionally married under. It is supposed to represent the new home the couple is creating together.  The lack of walls in the structure is meant to symbolize the welcoming of everyone into the home as well as the tradition of Tzedakah, or charity.

My grandmother has already offered to let me use her mother's (my great-grandmother's) lace table cloth for the top of the Chuppah.  Now it's just a matter of figuring out how to work out the details of the structure. It has to be big enough that at least myself, Mr Trail Mix and our rabbi can all stand underneath it.

I know I want to keep it organic-looking and natural.  It's possible I will either stick the poles straight into the ground but if it rains, then we will have to have the ceremony inside and I can't really stick poles into a wood floor, so I need to think of an alternative.  Oftentimes, the groomsmen or other important guys physically hold the four poles up but I think I'd rather not do that because....well, you can imagine all the possible scenarios where that could go terribly, terribly wrong.

I would like to use some fresh flowers to decorate the Chuppah as well but it will depend on our florist budget. I may add some hanging ribbons to the back, since I do love that look.

Here's a few photos I've managed to find of Chuppah's that I love...















Anyone got a suggestion for how to go about securing the structure, either indoors or outdoors? Anyone else made their own Chuppah before?

5 comments:

  1. Those are so pretty! I was going to say just have 4 flower pots (similar to some of the ones above) or even tin buckets just in case your ceremony ends up being indoors. Something like these: http://nettletonhollow.blogspot.com/2008/06/birch-poles-as-chuppa-poles-two-better.html which talked about Mrs. Gummi Bear's: http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/12/10/its-not-a-chuppah-ok-so-it-kinda-is/
    Or these: http://getmarried.com/wedding-blog/archives/weddding-summer-decor-tin-pails/

    Haha, sorry for all the links!

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  3. I love the idea of keeping it organic and natural! Very pretty!

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